Author: straightnewsng.com

Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel sees as startling the expenditure of alleged $30 million by United States of America in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the state. Speaking when the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, paid him a courtesy call at the Government House in Uyo, the state capital, the governor doubted that such a huge amount of money was spent without any verifiable records or input from the relevant agencies in the state. “I am not disputing the amount spent, but I want to emphasise the need for financial transparency. Good processes, good system will help us…

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Akwa Ibom Chapter hurriedly assembled for a stakeholders meeting Wednesday took time to boo the state chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo, over his failure to ensure award of N2.6 billion contract to executive members of the party’s ward chapters. The PDP stakeholders and members who gathered at the party’s permanent secretariat at Atan Offot in Uyo local government area jeered at the chairman when he praised Governor Udom Emmanuel for his readiness to award contracts to ward leaders. The members who came from the 31 local government areas of Akwa Ibom State murmured, complaining…

By Akanimo Sampson Around nine million African migrants, representing some three per cent of the total population, of the continent move around the member-states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a United Nations agency has said. The UN agency, International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said on its website, “this is the largest total migrant stock in Africa, and it moves internally, intra-regionally, continentally and internationally. West Africa also concentrates the highest number of intra-regional migrants and, to a lesser extent, migrants moving towards Northern Africa and Europe.’’ Labour mobility has significantly increased over the last decade. Following…

Worried about the uncertainties surrounding the planned method for the conduct of the governorship primary in Bayelsa State, a chieftain of the APC in the state has written to the party’s national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole. In a copy of the letter issued in Yenogoa on Sunday and made available to Straightnews, Chief Richard Kpodoh asked the chairman to intervene in guiding the party properly, ahead of the September 29 primary. Kpodoh said he was deeply concerned that the party was yet to make a categorical statement on the how the primary would be conducted. “I have decided to write to…

By Akanimo Sampson Some nine months after a global food event in Thailand, the world does not seem to be yet on track to end hunger and malnutrition by 2030. Those who know better say improving food security and nutrition is critical to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Apparently worried by the question: How can we accelerate progress in transforming our agri-food systems to meet the needs of the hungry and malnourished?, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) organised a global event to accelerate progress to end hunger and malnutrition. The global…

Angry youths drawn from the nine Niger Delta states under the aegis of the Consolidated Youths of Niger Delta (CYND) have warned the Niger Delta ex-Niger Delta agitators to withdraw the seven-day ultimatum given to the new board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), over non-payment for the water hyacinth jobs awarded to them. Under the auspices of the 21st Century Youths of Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience, the ex-militants led by their leader, General Izon Ebi, threatened to shut down the NDDC offices within seven day, if the Prof. Nelson Brambaifa–led board fails to pay after executing…

A Nigerian woman has redeemed her vow by handing over a 20-year-old son to God Almighty in The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, in Lagos. Testifying during Sunday service at The Redeemed camp Ground in Lagos, the woman (name withheld) said “I was invited by my father in the Lord to this church in 1995. Before this time, I had been married for 11 years, yet there was no child. There was nothing which I did not do to have a child. “My mother invited a witch doctor and he gave me ‘something’ which I put in my private…

Despite several pleas from various quarters and individuals, the Senate of Akwa Ibom State University, AKSU, Ikot Akpaden is yet to recall a 200-level student of the department of Performing Arts, Faculty of Art placed on indefinite suspension for allegedly ‘insulting’ the Vice Chancellor of the institution in the social media. The student, Joy Ufot Nkanang, suspended on May 9 for allegedly calling Eno Ibanga, a professor and AKSU Vice Chancellor “That foolish VC” on her Facebook timeline stands the risk of being sent packing by the the state-owned institution. Already, Miss Nkanang from Onna, the home local government area…

Twenty three Nigerians are waiting on the wings for execution in Saudi Arabia over drug-related offences. They were convicted for contravening the narcotic and psychotropic substances that are punishable by death. They were arrested between 2016 and 2017 at King Abdul-Aziz International Airport, Jeddah and Prince Muhammad bin Abdu- Aziz International Airport, Madinah having concealed the banned substances in their rectums, the Saudi document revealed. Below are their names: Adeniyi Adebayo Zikri Tunde Ibrahim Jimoh Idhola Lawal Lolo Babatunde Sulaiman Tunde Idris Adewuumi Adepoju Abdul Raimi Awela Ajibola Yusuf Makeen Ajiboye Adam Idris Abubakar Saka Zakaria Biola Lawal Isa Abubakar…

Patrick van Aanholt’s strike in stoppage time earned a last-gasp shock victory for Crystal Palace as they condemned Manchester United to a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford. Jordan Ayew opened the scoring against the run of play with Palace’s first shot on goal. Marcus Rashford could have equalised from the penalty spot after Scott McTominay was brought down but hit the post with his effort. Daniel James looked to have earned a point for the hosts with a brilliant strike with a minute left, but van Aanholt struck in the third minute of stoppage time after a clanger from David…